By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Following the announcement over the weekend that the Mambukal Resort in Murcia, Negros Occidental will be reopened to the public, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz revealed that several new protocols will also be implemented.
According to Diaz, the resort has also recently been declared as a sanctuary for wildlife conservation, especially the bat species living in the grounds.
Mambukal is home to three species of bats, the Philippine Flying Fox, the Negros Naked-Back Fruit Bat, and the Little Golden Mantled Flying Fox. Two of the species are already classified as endangered.
“[The resort] has already been dedicated to wildlife conservation efforts also, the bats are coming back,” Diaz said.
Among the new regulations that will be imposed is that vehicles will no longer be allowed to enter the resort’s premises.
Open burning of waste will also no longer be allowed in the premises as Diaz said the smell of smoke generated by the fires are driving away the local wildlife.
He also revealed that they are currently reviewing if they should still allow open fire cooking in the premises, especially as the bats’ sense of smell are known to be sensitive at a two-kilometer radius.
“Hopefully maka-enjoy ang aton pumuluyo without degrading the environment and without driving away our important species of animals,” he added.
Earlier over the weekend, Diaz announced that the capitol-owned Mambukal Resort will be reopened again to local tourists starting December 1.
However, only fully-vaccinated individuals will be allowed to enter the premises.
Those who are interested in booking a reservation can visit the Mambukal’s office located in the Provincial Capitol and Lagoon in Bacolod City.
Mambukal was closed to the public in 2020 after COVID-19 began to spread nationwide.
The resort was then converted into a quarantine facility first housing arriving locally stranded individuals, and returning overseas Filipino workers.
It would then later serve employees of the provincial government who are either asymptomatic or those exhibiting only minor symptoms of COVID-19./DGB, WDJ